This year, to mark World Water Day, we’ve made a video with 10 ways you can conserve and protect the world’s water resources through ordinary everyday actions, which even us here in the office think we could do!

There is no doubt that the world’s supply of water is under massive pressure from growing demand and dirty pollution. For example, did you know one litre of water is needed to irrigate one calorie of food but that presently up to 100 litres may be used to produce one calorie! Or get this, In cities there are thousands of kilometres of pipes that make up water infrastructure, but did you know that many antiquated city systems waste more freshwater than they deliver?! Read these facts and more about the world’s water from UN-Water.

But first, be part of the solution by starting to notice the amount of water you consume and taking some of the following steps to reduce and conserve water and minimise your impact on Earth’s most critical lifeline.

10 Ways to Conserve Water starting now:

1. Reduce your shower time by 60 seconds. Save up to 560 litres of water!

2. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth. Save up to 15 litres a minute.

3. When washing dishes by hand, don’t leave the tap on. Tip: Fill one basin with wash water and the other with rinse water. Or if you feel you must use running water, rinse dishes quickly and shut off the water. Then, soap and scrub everything and only turn the water on again for the final rinse.

4. While you wait for hot water, collect the running water and use it to water your plants.

5. Learn how to use your water meter to check for leaks.

6. Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you soap up and wash your car. Save up to 380 litres every time.

7. Reduce the number of glasses you wash by only using one glass for drinking water each day, or just refill a water bottle.

8. Retain more nutrients in the food you cook by cooking food in as little water as possible.

9. Collect the water you use while rinsing fruit and vegetables and use this to water household plants.

10. Be a leak detective! Check all hoses, connectors and faucets everywhere regularly for leaks and drips.

BONUS TIP: Did you know it takes 95 litres of water to produce 1 KW/h of electricity?

If you’re in the market for a home water filter, save electricity by using a HomePure water filter available from a QNET Independent Representative. Its filter systems rely on water pressure with no need for an electricity supply to push water through an ultrafiltration membrane among other cutting edge filter media which effectively remove contaminants while leaving natural minerals to produce clean water which is healthy and great tasting.

In summary, remember that it is ecosystems such as forests, wetlands and grassland which lie at the heart of the global water cycle. ALL freshwater ultimately depends on the health of the world’s ecosystems. No city infrastructure or irrigation scheme can ever replace what the Earth does itself through its ecosystems. So, in addition to conserving water, do your part to conserve our natural environment. Check out our popular article for 10 ways to conserve the environment for tips on how you can do this.